The team consists of the following researchers

I have a degree in Clinical Psychology from University of Copenhagen with my dissertation on multidisciplinary research on depression, which received the university gold medal (2006), and an MSc (with Distinction) (2004) and a DPhil (PhD) (2008) from University of Oxford in Experimental Psychology and Psychiatry.

I lead a number of clinical and experimental studies in patients with affective disorders using clinical ratings, neurocognitive testing and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

Alongside my research I have received training in and worked with cognitive behavioural therapy of patients with depression or bipolar disorder and qualified as clinical psychologist in 2011.​

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​Julian Macoveanu, PhD​Senior researcher and lecturer. The current research focus aims to identify neurobiological changes underlying the cognitive improvements observed with treatment of affective disorders. The methodological expertise includes extensive experience with functional MRI study design, image acquisition and analysis, structural and diffusion MRI, and computational modeling of neurophysiological data.

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​Iselin Meluken, MD

Medical doctor and PhD student (University of Copenhagen). I work on the NEAD twin project investigating putative imaging and neurocognitive endophenotypes for affective disorders in a nationwide sample of monozygotic twins. My key research interest is the biological background of affective disorders and how to use this knowledge to improve diagnostics and treatment.​

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​Ninja Meinhard, MD

Medical doctor and PhD student (University of Copenhagen). I work on the NEAD project focusing on the biological biomarkers in affective disorders. I graduated as a medical doctor from the University of Copenhagen in 2012 with my thesis about the role of estrogen in bipolar disorder. My research interest is primarily the biological underpinnings of affective disorders.​

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​Lejla Sjanic Schmidt, MD

Medical doctor and PhD student (University of Copenhagen). I am working on the EPO-T study which aims to investigate wether short-term add-on treatment with erythropoietin (EPO) can counteract the cognitive side-effects of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). My key research interest is the neurobiological etiology of the cognitive dysfunction in patients with depression. My overall passion is creating better treatment strategies for patients with depression.

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​Hanne Lie Kjærstad, BSc (Hon), MSc

Psychologist and PhD student (University of Copenhagen). I am working on the BIO-3 study that aims to investigate neurocognitive, brain-based biomarkers in newly diagnosed patients with bipolar disorder and their unaffected relatives. Before working as a research assistant at the Psychiatric Centre Copenhagen, I completed my BSc at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand, followed by an MSc in clinical- and neuropsychology at University of Copenhagen.​

Caroline Vintergaard Ott, MSc

Psychologist (University of Copenhagen) and PhD student. I obtained my MSc in Psychology in 2016, majoring in neuropsychology and clinical psychology. My main research interests are novel psychological and pharmacological treatments of cognitive impairment across affective disorders, and the identification of biomarkers of cognitive impairment.

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​Jeff Zarp Petersen, MSc

Psychologist (University of Copenhagen) and PhD student. Iobtained my MSc with specialisation in clinical neuropsychology and clinical psychology in 2017. As a PhD student in the NEAD Group, I am involved in the PRETEC-EPO study. My research interests are cognitive deficits in depression, the underlying neuropathophysiology and the relationship between psychological and neurobiological perspectives in understanding and treating affective disorders.​

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​Anne Juul Bjertrup, MSc

Psychologist (University of Copenhagen) and PhD student. I work on several studies in the NEAD group including the recent validation studies of novel screening tools for cognitive dysfunction in depression. My research interests lie in the field of neuropsychology and psychiatry.​

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​Katrine Cramer, research nurse

I work on the PRETEC-EPO and EPO-T studies. In these studies, I assist with administrative tasks in relation to conducting these randomised controlled trials, blood tests, infusions of the study medication and ECGs etc. I have previously worked as a clinical nurse helping patients with affective disorders and find it very interesting and relevant to help these patients with their cognitive issues in the present trials. I have also worked giving patients ECT and therefore know how clinically relevant it would be for the patients if we can counteract the cognitive side-effects of this intervention.

Cecilia Søbye Petersen, BSc

Postgraduate student of psychology (University of
Copenhagen) and research assistant in NEAD Group. I am involved in
the BIO-3 as well as the PRETEC-marker project. My main research interests are
in the field of neuropsychology and psychiatry.

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​Signe Kærsgaard Mortensen, BSc

Postgraduate psychology student from University of Copenhagen and research assistant in the NEAD Group. I am primarily involved in the BIO-3 project. My main research interests are neuropsychology, psychiatry and treatment for affective disorders.

​​Ida Seeberg, BSc

I am an undergraduate student of psychology at the University of Copenhagen and research assistant in the NEAD Group. I am involved in the BIO-3 study and the PRETEC Marker project, where I assist with neurocognitive testing and ratings of the participants. My research interest is primarily in the clinical- and neuropsychological underpinnings of affective disorders, and I especially find it interesting how treatment for affective disorders can be improved.

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​Andreas Elleby Jespersen, BSc student

Undergraduate student of psychology at the University of Copenhagen and
research assistant in the NEAD Group. I am involved in the BIO-3 and the
PRETEC-marker project where I assist with neurocognitive testing and ratings of
the participants. My main
research interests
lie within neuropsychology, psychiatry and the improvement of treatment
strategies for affective disorders.

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Nellie Friis, BSc student

Undergraduate student of psychology at University of Copenhagen, and research assistant in NEAD Group. Here, I assist with neuropsychological testing of participants in the PRETEC Marker and BIO-3 studies. My main interests are in the fields of neuropsychology, cognitive psychology and psychiatry.

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Mette Soelberg Schjødt, BSc

Studying Medical Science (University of Copenhagen). I am part of a study where we examine the interaction between neurocognitive function in pregnant women with affective disordes, their hormone levels, pre-natal attachment and general well-being. I assist with neuropsychological testing and blood sampling. My primary research interest is social cognition.

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​Nanna Aagaard Petersen, BSc student

Studying medicine at Copenhagen University. I work in the NEAD group where my primary research interest is fMRI investigation of improvement of social cognition in EPO treated patients with bipolar disorder.

Karen Damgaard, BSc student

Undergraduate student of psychology at University of Copenhagen and research assistent in the NEAD group. I am involved in the SCIP-NORM project about optimising screening for cognitive dysfunction in bipolar disorder, where I assist with neuropsychological testning. Currently my main research interests are social cognition, stress and affective disorders.

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​Mette Bagge Jensen, BSc student

I am an undergraduate
student of psychology at the University of Copenhagen and a research assistant
in the NEAD Group. Currently, I assist with neuropsychological testing and
rating of participants in the HEAPAD study, which examines the interaction
between neurocognitive function in pregnant women with affective disorders,
their hormone levels and pre-natal attachment. I also call in participants for
the BIO-1 study and from spring 2018 I will be involved in the BIO-3 study. My
research interests are within the field of neuropsychology and psychiatry.

Collaborators

​The NEAD group has close national and international collaborations with: